Tucson Electric Power Gives $1.7 Million, Volunteers 15,386 Hours in 2025

Tucson Electric Power’s local commitment stood out in 2025 with nearly $1.7 million in philanthropic contributions and thousands of volunteer hours dedicated to empowering communities and cultivating relationships.

The investments were dedicated to key areas that align with TEP’s core values, including community vitality, education and environmental stewardship. The company also paid special attention last year to issues, such as heat relief and wildfire prevention that are crucial to the health and safety of residents. TEP’s philanthropic contributions come from corporate resources and are not recovered through customers’ rates.

Community Support 

Here’s a by-the-numbers look at TEP’s impact in the community:

• 179: Nonprofit organizations supported
• $1.7 million: Total donations 
• $1 million: Community vitality
• $176,000: Environmental stewardship
• $418,975: Education

Voice from the community – L’Don Sawyer, Mobile Meals’ CEO. Organization received $10,000 to support meal delivery to low-income and senior residents. In addition, TEP’s Transportation Electrification program provided steep rebates on an electric vehicle and charger.

“Tucson Electric Power is really the model of corporate philanthropy and has allowed us to serve the community, ensure that we are able to nourish the community and serve vulnerable people in need. We are very grateful to Tucson Electric Power.” 

Top Nonprofit Contributions

Top nonprofit partners receiving contributions include:

• Wildfire Community Action Agency, a statewide nonprofit organization that provides utility bill-payment assistance to low-income residents, $330,000
• Community Food Bank of Southern Arizona, $108,707
• Southern Arizona Research, Science and Engineering Foundation, $52,475
• YWCA of Southern Arizona, focused on heat relief, $50,000
• Interfaith Community Services, $30,000
• Social Venture Partners Tucson, $30,000
• Community Foundation for Southern Arizona, $30,000
• African American Museum of Southern Arizona, $25,000
• Pima Council on Aging, $25,000
• Emerge Center Against Domestic Abuse, $25,000

To help protect communities from wildfires, TEP contributed more than $27,000 to organizations, including the National Forest Foundation to restore and enhance trails in the Santa Catalina Mountains.

Among its donations, TEP supported 14 organizations and schools with more than $88,000 in donations to White Mountains communities around the Springerville Generating Station. In rural New Mexico near the Oso Grande wind farm, TEP contributed to three organizations, which received $5,000 total.

Voices from the community – Kelly McGowan, CEO of Wildfire. The community action agency received funding for bill assistance, in addition to programs to replace and repair HVAC systems for low-income families.

“In a year when so many funding sources were in flux or threatened, TEP’s support of our Heat Relief Initiative was essential. The company’s commitment allowed us to continue replacing HVAC systems for low-income families who had nowhere else to turn. In a state facing some of the deadliest summers on record, a failed cooling system can be life-threatening, and most households simply can’t absorb that cost. The TEP partnership provided immediate safety and long-term stability for the families we serve.”

Magdalena Verdugo, YWCA CEO:

“TEP’s support made it possible for the YWCA to strengthen our heat-relief efforts at a time when our community needed it most. With their investment, we expanded our capacity as a resiliency hub, offering safe, cool spaces, essential resources, and reliable access to electricity and water during extreme heat. Their partnership truly helped protect our community’s most vulnerable residents, especially women, families and elders.”

Value of Volunteering

TEP builds volunteering into its work culture by providing hundreds of volunteer activities each year through the Community Action Team, its employee volunteer group, as well as supporting employees who dedicate their free time to their passions.

Through the Dollars for Doers program, TEP rewards those employees who meet a minimum number of volunteer hours, providing up to $500 to donate to nonprofit organizations of their choice.

Here’s a look at the 2025 volunteer impact by the numbers:

• 15,386 volunteer hours
• 452 active volunteers
• 23 organizations supported by the Community Action Team
• $14,900 donated through Dollars for Doers

Voice from a volunteer– Regina Rowden, TEP Customer Care supervisor, volunteered more than 300 hours and received $500 from TEP’s Dollars for Doers program to give to FC Tucson Youth Soccer, where her daughter plays.

“It makes me very proud to work for a company that supports volunteering. Anyone who knows me or is involved in my daughter’s team sees our connection to TEP’s involvement in the community and it encourages them to get involved as well. The company supports us and our communities and they aren’t asking for anything in return.”

Voice from a recipient – Leanna,client of Interfaith Community Services, which received funding to help those facing housing insecurity:

“I am writing to express sincere gratitude for the support and assistance that I received from ICS during a difficult time in my life. The crisis was incredibly challenging, also highlighted resilience and the capacity to seek and accept help when most needed. ICS helped me avoid homelessness. ICS paid my rental agreement and all utilities. Renewed my sense of hope and strength.”